All the Stanford Cardinal bench can do is just watch as Utah guard Gianna Kneepkens (5) reacts to making a 3-point shot against Stanford in the first half Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Salt Lake City. (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, February 25, 2023

Utah earned a share of the Pac-12 women’s basketball regular season championship on Saturday, as the No. 8 Utes upended No. 3 Stanford 84-78 before 9,611 at Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

Gianna Kneepkens scored a season-high 28 points to lead the Utes (25-3 overall, 15-3 Pac-12) to their first regular season conference title, only two seasons removed from winning five total games. Alissa Pili was next for Utah with 14 points, and Kennedy McQueen had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and six steals.

Hannah Jump scored 24 points for Stanford (27-4 overall, 15-3 Pac-12), followed by Cameron Brink with 14 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, and Haley Jones with nine points and eight rebounds.

Utah led 40-34 at halftime and made 5 of 7 shots to open the third quarter, building a 52-40 lead on back-to-back field goals by Kneepkens and Issy Palmer. The Utes led the entire second half, although Stanford pulled to within 73-72 after Brink and Jones each scored two baskets. Utah responded with a 3-pointer by Kneepkens to keep the Cardinal from getting any closer.

Utah forced three straight turnovers in the final minute to lock down the win. The Utes scored 26 points off of 21 Stanford turnovers. The Cardinal held a 37-23 rebounding edge.

Stanford and Utah each have a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament this week in Las Vegas.